Separation-chamber means

ABSTRACT

The invention comprises a negative-pressure plastic bag leader in the form of a cylindrical chamber into which the plastic bag is received. The chamber is double-walled, an outer wall being imperforate, and the inner wall being foraminous, and the two being spaced apart, in a substantial concentricity, to define an annular void therebetween. A closure caps the upper, open end of the chamber, and has a conduit in traverse thereof through which to admit gas, and refuse suspended in such gas into the chamber. Further, the closure has an aperture formed therethrough for communicating with a source of negative pressure, and for extracting gas from the chamber. The aperture opens into the chamber and also into the annular void. Accordingly, both the chamber and the annular void experience the same negative pressure, and the plastic, refuse-collecting bag is held securely in place against the inner wall of the chamber. Additionally, the chamber walls and the closure hold the uppermost end of the bag in position, and cooperate with the end of the bag to seal the chamber fully circumferentially thereof.

This invention pertains to negative-pressure, refuse collectionapparatus and systems, and in particular to separation-chamber means foruse in such apparatus and systems.

Separation-chamber means of the type to which the invention pertains areknown in the prior art, and an exemplary example thereof is disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 3,755,992, issued on Sept. 4, 1973, to Laurie L. Ylinen,for "Lawn Vacuum Cleaning and Packing Apparatus". In the aforesaidpatent, a chamber is provided into which is disposed a refuse collectionbag. Vacuum means are provided to ingest leaves, grass clippings, andthe like into the chamber and into the bag. Too, to aid in an extensionof the bag into the chamber, for its refuse-collection purpose, thepatentee teaches the use of a pipe opening into the far end of thechamber which communicates with the vacuum source. The pipe is intendedto draw air from the box to allow the closed end of the bag to expandinto the thus-evacuated far end of the box.

The patentee's teaching is not sufficiently efficient. In that thevacuum pipe affords but one opening into the chamber or box, a surfaceof the bag will be drawn to the opening and promptly terminate furtherevacuation of the chamber. Hence, the bag will not be fully expanded andextended therewithin. With the bag only partially extended and expanded,there is a great likelihood that it will be sucked into the vacuumsource via the other end of the chamber.

This technology has long sought an improved, efficientseparation-chamber means, for use in a negative-pressure, collectionsystem, and it is an object of my invention to set forth just such animproved means.

It is particularly an object of this invention to disclose aseparation-chamber means, for use in a negative-pressure, collectionsystem, for collecting refuse, such as debris, particulate matter, andthe like, comprising means defining a chamber in which to collectrefuse; said chamber having a separation-collection area formedtherewithin; and means engageable with said chamber for (a) admittinggas, and refuse suspended in such gas, into said chamber, and for (b)discharging gas from said chamber; wherein said chamber has animperforate, outer wall, and a feraminous, inner wall; said walls aregenerally concentric, defining an annular void therebetween; and saidadmitting and discharging means comprises means for evacuating gas fromsaid annular void.

Further objects of this invention, as well as the novel featuresthereof, will become more apparent by reference to the followingdescription, taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a top or plan view of my novel separation-chamber meansaccording to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, takenalong section 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial, cross-sectional view, the same being taken alongsection 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the closure of the separation-chamber means;and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail, of a portion of the closure-to-chamberinterface, showing the upper end of a collection bag secured in placeand sealing the chamber circumferentially thereof.

As shown in the figures, my inventive separation-chamber means 10comprises a dual-walled chamber 12, and a closure 14. Closure 14 has apair of handle grips 16 fixed to the outer surface thereof, a conduit 18in traverse thereof, and an elliptical aperture 20 formed therethrough.An elliptical collar 22 circumscribes the aperture 20, and is providedfor attaching thereto a source of negative pressure. Extending normal tothe closure 14 are a pair of substantially parallel ribs 24 and 26, thetwo being spaced apart in a general concentricity to define a space 28therebetween. Rib 26 comprises the outermost periphery of the closureand, intermediate its extent, has a shoulder 30 formed therein in theouter surface thereof. The ribs 24 and 26 are integral with the flat,planar portion 32 of the closure, fully thereabout, excepting where theaperture 20 is formed. Here the aperture 20 opens across a short portionof rib 24; hence, the aperture 20 opens into fluid communication withthe space 28. As noted, collar 22 is provided for communication with asource of negative pressure. Conduit 18 is provided for admitting gas,and gas-laden refuse, into the chamber 12.

Chamber 12 has an inner, foraminous wall 34 and an outer, imperforatewall 36. Walls 34 and 36 are substantially concentric, and each isjoined to a base or bottom 38 and 40, respectively, the latter beingcorrespondingly foraminous and imperforate. Lobed spacers 42 separatethe walls 34 and 36, and limbs 44 separate the bases or bottoms 38 and40. Spacers 42 and limbs 44 are integral with the inner wall 34 andinner base or bottom 38, in this embodiment. However, they could beseparate elements bolted to the wall 34 or bottom 38. Spacers 42 definean annular void 46 between the walls 34 and 36, and the limbs 44 definea space 48 between the bottoms 38 and 40, and the void 46 and space 48are in open, free communication.

As shown, the annular void 46 has a given width, and the widthencompassed by the ribs 24 and 26, and the space 28 therebetween, alongthe leading ends of the ribs, is substantially of the same given width.Consequently, the leading ends of the ribs 24 and 26 exhibit a snug fitinto the annular void 46 of the chamber 12, upon the closure 14 beingengaged with the chamber 12 (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5). The shoulder 30formed in rib 26 defines a limit-step for the closure 14.

The furtherest ends of the ribs 24 and 26 are slightly turned inwardlytoward the space 28; this is so that the nesting of the closure 14 withthe chamber 12 can be effected with a minimum of difficulty.

My separation-chamber means 10, of course, is designed to collect refusewithin the chamber 12, with the refuse being confined in a disposablebag, however. A plastic, disposable bag 50 is shown within the chamber12, with the open end thereof turned over onto the leading or uppermostend of the wall 34. It will be appreciated that two particular benefitsproceed from this arrangement. For one, rib 24 and wall 34 cooperate toclasp the uppermost, open end of the bag 50 and keep it secure. Too, theclasped end of the bag 50 cooperates with the rib 24 and wall 34 to sealthe chamber thereat, fully circumferentially thereof.

When the separation-chamber means 10 is to be put to use, the bag 50 isset into the chamber 12, and expanded somewhat about the wall 34. Theuppermost, open end of the bag 50 is turned over onto the upper end ofthe wall 34. Then the closure 14 is slidably engaged with the chamber;the ribs 24 and 26 are slid into the uppermost reach of the annular void46 until the shoulder 30 engages the top of the wall 36. Now, uponcollar 22 being coupled to a source of vacuum pressure, the aperture 20will address the vacuum or negative pressure to both the annular void 46and to the inner volume of the chamber 12. As the bag 50 experiences asame negative pressure both within and without, it remains stable and inplace. The void 46 and space 48 wholly surround the bag 50 with the samenegative pressure which obtains within the inner volume of the chamber.More, the top of the bag 50 is held securely in place, and the sameprovides its own sealing--or, sealing of the chamber.

While I have described my invention in connection with a specificembodiment thereof, it is to be clearly understood that this is doneonly by way of example, and not as a limitation to the scope of myinvention, as set forth in the objects thereof and in the appendedclaims.

I claim:
 1. Separation-chamber means, for use in a negative-pressure,collection system, for collecting refuse, such as debris, particulatematter, and the like, comprising:means defining a chamber in which tocollect refuse; said chamber having an imperforate outer wall and aforaminous inner wall; said walls being generally concentric defining anannular void therebetween; a separation-collection area formed withinsaid foraminous inner wall; means for (a) admitting gas, and refusesuspended in such gas, into said separation-collection area, and for (b)discharging gas from said separation-collection area; wherein said outerwall has a bottom and an open top; said admitting and discharging meanscomprises means for admitting gas into said separation-collection area,as aforesaid, through said open top, and means for discharging gas fromsaid separation-collection area, as aforesaid, also through said opentop; and said discharging means comprises port means opening externallyof said separation-collection area, and opening internally and commonly,onto both said separation-collection area and said annular void, throughsaid open top.
 2. Separation-chamber means, according to claim 1,wherein:said inner wall has a base joined thereto, said base also beingforaminous; said outer wall bottom also being imperforate; said base andbottom are set apart from each other in a general parallelism, defininga space therebetween; and said space and said annular void are in open,common communication.
 3. Separation-chamber means, according to claim 1,wherein:said annular void has a given, annular width; saidchamber-engageable means comprises a closure for said chamber; saidclosure has a peripheral channel formed by concentric, substantiallyparallel ribs; and said ribs and said channel together comprise aprescribed annular width which substantially corresponds to said given,annular width of said void.
 4. Separation-chamber means, according toclaim 1, wherein:said chamber-engageable means comprises a closure forsaid chamber; said closure has an outermost peripheral wall; and saidoutermost peripheral wall has a shoulder formed therein for effecting anabutting engagement thereof with said outer wall of said chamber. 5.Separation-chamber means, according to claim 1, wherein:saidchamber-engageable means comprises a conduit for admitting gas andrefuse suspended in such gas therethrough into said chamber. 6.Separation-chamber means, according to claim 1, wherein:saidchamber-engageable means comprises a closure; said closure has athrough-going aperture formed therein; and said aperture is disposed forcommunicating with both said area within said chamber and said annularvoid, upon said closure being set into engagement with said chamber. 7.Separation-chamber means, according to claim 3, wherein:one of saidribs, and one of said chamber walls, together comprise means forclasping therebetween, and retaining, the uppermost open end of a refusecollection container.
 8. Separation-chamber means, according to claim 3,wherein:one of said ribs and one of said chamber walls comprise meanscooperative with the uppermost open end of a refuse collection containerfor sealing said chamber fully circumferentially thereof.